India have underused Hardik Pandya's all-round abilities: Sunil Gavaskar

Team India, under Virat Kohli‘s captaincy, copped yet another away series defeat outside the sub-continent when they succumbed against England in Southampton. No wonder that the team was at the receiving end of a lot of criticism after the loss and the former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar had lashed out at Hardik Pandya who bagged a duck in the second innings. However, he now feels that the team has underused Pandya’s all-round abilities throughout the series.

India’s potential all-rounder has bowled 64.1 overs across eight innings so far and has scored only 164 runs which is way lesser than England’s all-rounders. It is their all-rounders who have made a difference in this series and each one of Ben Stokes, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes and Moeen Ali have contributed to the team’s victory heavily apart from the third Test. Pandya was the man at Trent Bridge with his bowling and a fifty in the second innings and the result was India winning the Test match easily.

“Hardik Pandya has the talent. He has shown glimpses of his talent in the past. But I feel India haven’t used Hardik Pandya as much as they should have either with the bat or ball,” Gavaskar said while speaking to India Today.

Only India can win in SENA countries

Sunil Gavaskar also believed that it is only India who can come close to winning the Test match or the series in the SENA countries and that is why the fans including him are disappointed with this loss. He also pointed out that not only Hardik, even the other batsmen bar Virat Kohli are accountable for the same.

“The only team which had the potential to win in South Africa, England and Australia was India. That is why the fans, including myself, are even more disappointed with their performances. This team couldn’t achieve what it should have. It’s not just Hardik Pandya’s fault alone. Some of the other players barring Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara and the seam bowlers, haven’t lived up to the expectations,” he further added.

The 69-year-old also wanted India to come out and show the world what they are capable of in the upcoming overseas fixtures to shut all the criticism. “But not just Hardik but also the other players who are being criticised, it is only natural because the fans are really disappointed with this loss. The team should actually take inspiration from all this criticism and show the world what they can actually do,” Gavaskar concluded.

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